the great beyond
by kerrykins
Summary: Madeline and Celeste are friends, who help each other.


Madeline and Celeste have been friends since forever. They've held hands and laughed all the way through elementary, middle, and high school. Madeline's fondest memories are of them dancing around her bedroom in pajamas, painting each other's nails, and eating those greasy burgers at the old diner that closed ages ago. It's just as well, because all the saturated fat is probably to blame for the weight Madeline hasn't been able to shake off. Their true homes lay not in Monterey, but in each other.

Now they're on the road to San Jose, all the kids throwing that old stuffed hippo across the van, their shrill voices giving Madeline a headache— the good kind, though.

Celeste holds her sons close, smiling in that sad, sweet way of hers. Her red hair falls around her face in effortless curls that Madeline both admires and envies. When she'd asked Celeste what conditioner she used, her friend had laughed gently and said she didn't use any at all. Madeline has trouble believing that still, but then again Celeste in almost lacking in faults. She has a happy marriage, two great kids, that monster of a house that probably has its own zip code.

"If I were you, I'd be gentle with his legs." At the sound of Celeste's voice, Madeline jerks her head to look at her. That's the first thing she's said the entire trip.

"You good?" Madeline keeps her tone cool, hoping it doesn't betray to anyone the genuine concern in the question. She knows Celeste will see right through her, though.

"Yeah."

Madeline nods with a small smile. "Thank you for arranging the transportation."

Celeste says nothing, burying her face in her son's hair.

As Jane and the kids sing along to the song on the radio, squirming and giggling in their seats, Madeline gets the prickling sense that something isn't right. Celeste sings along with them, her voice as calming as waves ebbing in and out of the shore. But as they drive past a cluster of large trees, stripes of shadow cut across Celeste's smiling face. It brings out the tired, subtle lines in her face, and she suddenly looks very weary.

When the light returns, the heaviness in the woman's expression departs with the shadow, and Celeste's aquamarine eyes are warm and bright again.

Every single red flag is going off inside Madeline's head. "You sure you're okay? You're a little quiet."

Celeste's smile falters momentarily. Like before, she doesn't answer.

With great effort, Madeline swallows down her mimosa and turns away. Her thoughts drift to their conversation a few days ago about their husbands. Sometimes I think he likes to fight, because it leads to sex.

That's kind of twisted, Madeline muses to herself, again.

Sometimes I think I like it.

And that's a big fat lie. Madeline's a fairly intuitive person. People like Renata says she's nosy and while that may be true on some occassions—almost never, really— this is serious.

If Perry is hurting Celeste (it's a very big 'if,' but still), then he'll have hell to pay, Madeline will make sure of that.

When they finally reach their destination, all the kids tumble out, Jane dutifully herding them out with an exhausted smile.

Madeline stops to wait up for Celeste, who's trailing behind the group.

"Hey, girl. So I'm going to be really forward for a second, is that okay?"

"Sure."

Madeline takes a deep breath. "Did Perry get back from his business trip already?"

Celeste nods. "Yes, just yesterday." She draws her cream-coloured cardigan around herself as a gust of wind buffets them. Her rose-gold locks go flying in her face and without thinking, Madeline reaches out to brush them back. They're even softer than they look.

"How would you feel about letting the boys have a sleepover at my place?"

Celeste frowns, a line forming between her eyebrows. It's perfectly adorable but never leaves a wrinkle behind. It really is unfair, Madeline thinks.

"I'm not sure about that. I mean, the boys aren't that close with Chloe." Celeste looks around them, clearly surveying their surroundings. "Let's walk, we're pretty far behind."

"Got it."

Walking with Celeste is different than walking with Jane. With Jane, they hold hands and laugh, dragging and pulling each other along like toddlers. Celeste is quiet and always staring out into the distance at something beyond Madeline's sight. When they make eye contact, Celeste's gaze is distant, akin to the empty expanse of the sea. The Great Beyond. They walk side by side a reasonable distance apart, shoulders not touching, hands in their pockets.

"I was thinking it could be a sleepover for you too."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I don't know. Just a suggestion, I guess."

"Without Perry?" Celeste tilts her head at her, with that broken expression. Madeline so badly wants to fix her.

"Without Perry."

"He's not going to like that," Celeste says.

Madeline's jaw tenses. "If he has a problem with it, tell him that I'm not giving you a choice. Oh, or he and Ed could hang out."

Celeste sighs and stops in the middle of the parking lot. Madeline does the same. They regard each other, the skies above them blue and the ground below grey. It's a change from Monterey, where the two colours are inverted.

"I'll have to ask him first," Celeste murmurs. They're very close, so close that Madeline can feel her breath tickling her cheek.

"Is that a yes?" Madeline dares to ask, her face warm despite the chilly autumn weather.

Celeste's lips tug into a smile. "And unofficial one, but yes."

"Cool."


End file.
